Eternal Regret
by The Real JL Rules
Summary: ONESHOT. Diana thought her mother could never surprise her. But Hippolyta reveals a secret from her past...
_DISCLAIMERS/NOTES_

 _1\. This is a fan fiction based on characters owned by DC Comics. I DO NOT OWN THEM. This is just for fun._

 _2\. This is a femslash story. If you don't like that sort of thing, you won't like this._

 _3\. This story is part of my personal DC fanfic universe, but is set before Wonder Woman and Batman marry and have children._

* * *

They stood in silence, gazing at the gravestone. Apart from one bodyguard standing on a hill several yards away, they were the only two there. They waited until the funeral was over and mourners were gone to arrive. Questions would have been asked if the two appeared during the service. There was no public connection between them and the dearly departed.

But Princess Diana of Themyscira knew there _was_ a connection. She just wondered when the woman standing next to her would explain it. Waiting patiently, the world-famous Wonder Woman - dressed in civilian clothing, coloured in respectful black - kept her eyes on the gravestone. She knew of the deceased, but only from a historical perspective:

"SANDRA KNIGHT - 1920-2009"

Diana had heard of the original Phantom Lady, of course. She was well-versed in the history of costumed heroes in Man's World, dating back to World War II. Sandra Knight, as the skimpily-attired heroine, served with the Freedom Fighters, Justice Society and All-Star Squadron, as well as battling crime, at various times, in both Washington DC and the city of Opal. Over the decades Knight married, divorced, and become an intelligence agent during the Cold War. She was also the current Manhunter's grandmother. Kate Spencer was obviously here earlier for the funeral.

But Diana did not know exactly why she herself was here. Or more specifically, why her _mother_ was here. The Amazon Princess thought back to what led to this situation. She was contacted by Nubia back on Paradise Island; apparently, Queen Hippolyta was acting quite strangely. Somehow learning of Sandra Knight's passing, the monarch was insistant on travelling to Man's World. From Nubia's tone, it was clear the queen's behaviour was rather worrying. Indeed, Diana was told her mother almost flew into a rage when her sisters suggested the visit might not be wise. Evenmore strange was how Hippolyta refused personal protection - it seemed she barely allowed Artemis to accompany her. It was the Amazon of Bana-Mighdall keeping watch now, though the queen demanded she not intrude.

Diana had to get to the bottom of this. Taking a moment to steel herself, she tentatively spoke. "Mother... "

"Yes, Diana - I know." Hippolyta's eyes never left the gravestone. "You want to know why I'm here. Though if I had my way, you would have never known about my leaving Themyscira."

"I'm glad Nubia informed me," the princess said. She looked at her mother, who was not dressed in her usual regal gowns. Instead, Hippolyta was wearing a large, black shawl which covered her entire body. Only her head was bare, not even a crown atop it. Diana was still surprised at her expression. She had possibly never seen the queen so sad. "Our sisters were clearly worried. As am I." She glanced back at the grave. "How did you know her?"

Sighing deeply, Hippolyta closed her eyes. "It was during my brief excursion to Patriarch's World in - what was it they called it? - the '1940s'." That in itself was a story - but now was not the time. "I encountered many of the warriors there. I even battled alongside them on occassion. But I could not wait to return home. I certainly did not intend to stay in America for as long as I did."

"What happened?" asked Diana.

"As you know, I found myself in a brief relationship with a man," Hippolyta said, almost shaking her head. "I still can't quite believe that." Knowing how her mother felt about Man's World, Diana understood it was an extraordinary thing for the monarch to partake in. But then, Ted "Wildcat" Grant was an extraordinary person. "Well... that was not the only affair I had here."

Diana did not need the wisdom of the gods to know what her mother was getting at. "You never mentioned her before."

The queen was silent for awhile, simply staring at the gravestone. "No," she eventually breathed. "No, I did not. It was... unimportant."

"'Unimportant'?" Diana found that hard to believe. "Mother, please - talk to me."

Biting her lip in a distinctly un-queenly manner, Hippolyta almost groaned. "We met during a bomb raid. I was... rather taken with her." Diana had seen photos of the original Phantom Lady: Sandra Knight certainly was a beautiful woman, with a body perfect for her barely-there costume. Much like Dee Tyler, Diana thought to herself. Though she remembered when she mentioned to Hippolyta, many years ago, that there was a second Phantom Lady - the queen visibly bristled at the news. And now Diana knew why. "I was captivated," whispered the monarch.

That got Diana's attention. The Amazons were the most beauteous women on Earth. And Hippolyta certainly had many, many Amazon lovers over the centuries. But it was always with "no strings attached", as Man's World might put it. Hippolyta never let herself get emotionally involved with any of her subjects. Not that there was ever any resentment over that - it was considered a great honour to be a concubine of the queen. But to "captivate" her mother, Sandra must have meant a great deal to her. "Why haven't you told me this before?" Diana asked softly.

"Like I said, it was unimpor... "

"Mother, please," scolded Diana. "I don't need my lasso to tell you're lying."

Hippolyta nearly chuckled. "Quite." A moment passed before she continued. "But evenso, it could not last. I had to return to our kingdom. And she had her own life, fighting one of Man's many wars." Diana remained quiet. It would have been impossible to continue, true. Sandra could not very well move to the... "In a moment of weakness," Hippolyta suddenly blurted, "I asked her to return with me."

Diana gasped. " _Mother_?"

"It was foolish of me," said the queen. "Selfish. But... I... "

"Did... you love her?" Diana asked gently.

"Daughter, I keep telling you - it was unimportant." Hippolyta looked at her. "Nothing would have come of it. She was mortal."

Diana stood steadfast, having long ago learnt to stand upto her mother's glare. "But surely something... "

"You do not understand," the queen said, her tone softening. "I already had _you_. I could ask no more of the gods." Neither had to mention Donna: she was an orphaned child when Wonder Woman asked that she be gifted, thus the gods showed leniency. "So I let her go. Even when I learnt their war ended, I did not return for her. It was for the best. Sandra would have succumbed to old age, even on Themyscira."

Diana lowered her head, accepting that her mother was right.

"Please do not take that in a way unintended," Hippolyta said. "Do not think I... _resented_ you for I not being able to be with... "

"Mother, I understand," Diana interrupted softly. She watched the queen, whose attention had returned to the grave. The princess decided to let it go. It was clear Sandra's death, and the phantom of the life they never had together, hurt Hippolyta. For her to leave the island and come all the way here, just to say goodbye... Diana was almost awed.

After several minutes of silence, Hippolyta spoke, still gazing at the gravestone. "This man... this _Bat_ man... do you love him?"

Surprised at the topic, Diana frowned. "Yes, I do, Mother. With all my heart."

"And he returns your feelings?"

"Yes," she said resolutely. "Bruce is my true love."

Hippolyta tutted. "Bruce. Steve. Kal. Ted. It's like men cannot cope with names of more than one syllable."

Diana rolled her eyes. "Mother, that's nonsense and you know it."

"Perhaps." The monarch then frowned herself. "Forgive me. I did not mean to insult Colonel Trevor."

"It's fine, Mother," soothed Diana. "I loved Steve greatly, but my feelings for Bruce... he's my soulmate." Even if Diana knew the man did not believe in such things.

"Finding one's soulmate is a rare gift, Diana," said Hippolyta. She then looked at her, her face full of sadness. "So take your mother's advice... and do not squander it. Because for we Amazons... " - she turned back to the gravestone - "... regret is truly eternal."

Diana's eyes widened. "Sandra was your... ?"

"I never allowed the chance to find out," finished the queen. She was too stubborn for her own good. Diana knew Bruce would pass eventually, but she would be happy with the time they _would_ have. If only her mother was not so closed-minded, she could have had what Diana had now, regardless of Sandra's mortality.

Hippolyta closed her eyes, clearly trying to hold back tears. "Diana, if you wouldn't mind... I'd like to be alone."

Diana felt her own eyes water. "Of course, Mother." She tenderly leaned in and kissed Hippolyta on the cheek. With a quick squeeze of the hand, Diana turned and went to join Artemis on the nearby hill.

Had Diana turned back, she would have seen the queen rest a hand longingly on the gravestone. "Goodbye, my Phantom Lady."

THE END


End file.
